WTC Final 2023: India should play Ishan Kishan in Rishabh Pant’s absence, says Matthew Hayden

Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden feels India should play Ishan Kishan in Rishabh Pant’s absence in the World Test Championship final against Australia. Kishan can bring an X-factor to the table with his aggressive batting for the Indian team.

But, Kishan hasn’t yet made his Test debut at the top level, and throwing him in the team could be asking too much from the left-hander. However, Kishan is known for his aggressive batting and he has the skills to turn the match on its head.

The southpaw scored 454 runs in 15 matches at an average of 30.27 and a strike rate of 142.76, including three fifties in IPL 2023, and played a key role in taking Mumbai Indians to the playoffs.

Kishan has scored 2985 runs in 48 first-class matches at an average of 38.76 and it will be interesting to note if he gets a chance in the final XI against Australia in the WTC final.

Hayden said he would pick Ishan Kishan if he was the Indian selector.

“One of the big losses to Indian cricket right now is Rishabh Pant. If I was an Indian selector, I certainly go with the more dynamic wicketkeeper batter Ishan Kishan, he also adds that bit of swagger to the batting line up and in the fielding unit as well,” Matthew Hayden told PTI.

Hayden reckons India should play with two spinners in Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. The former opener feels Australia will go with three fast bowlers, one spinner in Nathan Lyon and all-rounder Cameron Green can be their fifth bowling option.

”What works for India is two spinners. It doesn’t work for Australia, apart from the outrageous turners that we saw in India during the Border-Gavaskar trophy,” Hayden said.

”I know the Australian combination will always want to have three quicks. Obviously, Nathan Lyon’s is our spinner and Cameron Green can play as an all-rounder. I mean, that’s, that’s how important Cameron Green is. That’s a powerful and important role that he plays as an all-rounder. So it’s great to have him in form,” he said.

The WTC Final will be played at the Oval from June 7.